Newly Discovered Comet Could Be Visible To The Naked Eye
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) could be visible in dark skies with the naked eye if it continues to brighten. NASA explains how to see it.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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TechTranscript
00:00 A recently discovered comet is now passing through the inner solar system and should
00:05 be visible with a telescope and likely with binoculars.
00:09 The comet, which has a mouthful of a name, C/2022 E3 ZTF, was first sighted in March
00:16 last year when it was already inside the orbit of Jupiter.
00:19 It makes its closest approach to the Sun on January 12 and then passes its closest to
00:23 Earth on February 2.
00:26 Comets are notoriously unpredictable, but if this one continues its current trend in
00:30 brightness it'll be easy to spot with binoculars and it's just possible it could become visible
00:35 to the unaided eye under dark skies.
00:38 Observers in the northern hemisphere will find the comet in the morning sky as it moves
00:42 swiftly toward the northwest during January.
00:45 It'll become visible in the southern hemisphere in early February.
00:49 This comet isn't expected to be quite the spectacle that comet NEOWISE was back in 2020,
00:55 but it's still an awesome opportunity to make a personal connection with an icy visitor
00:59 from the distant outer solar system.
01:01 (whooshing)